Heroes & Chompies
by Numbuh 94
Summary: Oneshots I get the urge to make. Each oneshot has an individual rating, but the main one is T.
1. Rider's Madness

_**Rider's Madness**_

**Oneshot Rating: T**

* * *

Hex approached the house carefully, floating very slowly. She wasn't afraid of its inhabitant, or the house itself. She was afraid of what she would find inside. Its inhabitant wasn't the sanest of people she knew… Especially after… it… happened.

The house was the only one on the isle. Nobody wanted to live on the same island as some insane, crazed elf. The grass swayed in the breeze. There were only a few other trees around, but they too swayed. She finally reached the creaking porch and faded door. She knocked on it.

"Rider? Rider, open up, please."

She hadn't heard from him in a while and she was afraid of what could have happened.

She honestly wasn't that surprised when nobody answered. She pushed the door open gently (he never locked it anymore). Rider's home was a disaster, as usual. His things were strewn about all over the floor.

From the door forward was a living room. Or, it had been at one point. The TV was broken, the glass shattered, and one of the couches was upturned. The table in between the two couches was a mess with old alcoholic beverage bottles. The room stank of alcohol. The table also had various old pictures across it, beer spilled on them.

The carpet was riddled with various alcoholic stains. Newspaper clippings and pillows were also thrown about the ground.

But the elf in question was not there in the living room at all. She sighed and floated past the living room, entering the dining room. It wasn't in much better condition than the living room, except there were also old cigarette packages littered throughout the floor and table. Broken glass shimmered from the wooden table itself, and the tablecloth was crinkled in the corner of the room. The ceiling fan hung at an awkward angle, spinning. But each time it spun, one of the blades would strike the ceiling, creating a loud, continuous series of grick, grick sounds.

Again, he was not there.

She moved on into the kitchen. She stared for a minute at the various assortments of knives covering the marble counter. A few had dropped onto the floor, which was of black and silver tiling. A refrigerator sat at the end of the room, but the cord that should have been plugged into the wall was snaking out to its side. All of the cabinet's doors were open. The cabinet that held plates looked as though it had vomited due to the shattered plates lying below it. The faucet was slowly dispensing water.

Rider wasn't there either. She moved out, back into the dining room, then living room, and headed up the stairwell the left of the room to Rider's bedroom and bathroom. The stairs did have carpeting, but they had so many stains on them, they looked deplorable. The railing to the stairway was beat and dented as well.

She arrived at the top and headed straight forward through a pale blue door with fist-shaped holes in its front. She could hear sobbing coming from inside. Rider was there, he had to be. The door also had scratch marks on it, though Hex hoped Rider hadn't scratched his door… She knew he punched it, but scratching? She sighed and pushed it open, going inside.

She was caught off-guard by the horrible condition of the room. Sure, the downstairs rooms were bad, but they were nothing compared to this. Rider's bed didn't look like a bed. The sheets and blankets laid in various different places in the room. Rider was curled in the fetal position on his sheetless bed, weeping. The pillows were flopped next to the bed, feathers coming from their insides. The room smelled even more strongly of alcohol then the living room had. Some of the paint on the left wall of the room was peeling. The paint on the right wall was stained with alcohol, probably, from Rider throwing bottles at it.

His clothes looked like the closet had thrown them up. They were streaking out from his closet and laying in small heaps here and there, some still folded. His shoes were without their laces, and sat far from each other. The carpet had been destroyed in the right-to-front corner of the room. It looked like it had been set ablaze then quickly put out.

His lamp, which normally would have sat on his bedstand, was shattered on the floor. Rider noticed her and looked up. His voice was hoarse from crying and his eyes were puffy and red. "What're you doing here?"

She floated a little higher in this room than usual so as to not come into contact with anything on the floor. As Rider got into a regular sitting position, she saw a torn picture in his lap… One of a young Life elf, probably about fifteen or so, and a small, nearly featherless ostrich hatchling. It had to be Rider and Fight when they were younger. But it was torn in half. Fright on one half, Rider on the other half.

Hex sighed. He had been like this since then. She looked at him and, feeling close to tears herself from his state, ran her hand over his head. "Hey, it'll be okay," she cooed to him softly. "Now come on, I'll help you fix this mess you've made."

"No," he whispered. "No. I don't want it fixed."

She blinked. "Why not? You can't live in this filth…"

"Not living," he pointed out plainly. "And I don't care. I really don't."

She looked down. Did he really not care about anything anymore? About her? About… anyone? Spyro had retired him from being a Skylander not too long ago due to his mental state and refusal to go out on missions. It had still hurt the elf when Spyro had forcefully told him to leave. Hex was still a Skylander, but today, she had been allowed to leave. Not that she would have stayed had Spyro told her to anyway. "Rider, would Fright want this?" She asked him carefully. "You living in this terrible way?"

He looked up for a second, his eyes still streaming. He then broke into another sobbing fit. "No! No he wouldn't! I have failed him, I couldn't protect him, and now I can't please him!" He exclaimed through gasps and sobs. "I failed!"

Hex wrapped an arm around him gently. "You are not a failure," she spoke with dark conviction. "You are just fine. Now come on, let's get to cleaning."

Rider sniffed and mopped his face. "You're not going to call them, are you?"

Hex furrowed her brows. "Who's 'them'?"

"The guys in white," he whispered. "The ones who think I'm crazy."

She breathed in relief. She had thought he meant someone different. "No, Rider, I'm not. Now let's go."

* * *

**I am so going to point names here. This came about as a talk with JaneShenanigans about how some of the Skylanders could "lose it" after a while. My mind went "OMG! Rider!" like some idiot, so this was born.**

**All these are just random oneshots I get the urge to make. Some may be with OCs from Darkest Hour, but almost all will be with actual Skylanders themselves. However, unless stated, these ****_have nothing to do with the Darkest Hour_**_ universe/series._


	2. Hot Dog & Lily

**_Hot Dog & Lily_**

**Oneshot Rating: K+**

* * *

Hot Dog skipped around on the island, completely oblivious of his surroundings. This was one of those rare, free days when nobody contacted the Skylanders, where peace actually reigned over Skylands rather than war. His mind was not on his job, it was rather on nothing in particular.

Until, of course, something bit his ankle. He yelped and held up his injured paw, looking around for the biter. His eyes came to rest on a purple chompy that was simply beaming up at him, pearly white teeth gleaming. The grass below it was almost as tall as the little chompy was. Hot Dog was used to simply fire barking chompies back to the plant they spewed out of, but this one was young. Freshly made, he guessed. It was also purple. Cali had warned him not to hurt purple chompies, for they were rare.

It gave a bit of a bark and blinked at him. Feeling awkward, Hot Dog, tilted his head. Well, Cali did say that purple chompies were good... but he didn't see how that was possible if they still bit you anyway. He ignored it and tried being friendly anyway. "Er... hello, chompy! I'm Hot Dog! What's your name?"

The chompy tilted its own head (which was amusing, since its head was directly connected with its body) and gave a whine of confusion. Hot Dog stifled a snicker and gently reached out towards the chompy. "Are you lost? Where's your plant spawner and your clan?" He asked it, though he was pretty sure he wouldn't get any coherent response from the chompy. It tilted its head again and gave a louder whine. Hot Dog barked excitedly and bounced a bit. Maybe he could help the chompy!

"First," he calmed himself, "you need a name! Do you have a name?" He asked it.

The chompy gave a happy bark itself and bounced a little itself, replicating Hot Dog's actions. At the name question, however, it stopped and closed its long, straight eyes in thought. When it opened them, it nodded. "Lily!" It barked. Hot Dog could understand her because, even though chompies were plant-spawn, they made canid sounds. It had only whined and yipped before, without forming anything of interest. Now it had actually said something.

Hot Dog grinned at it. "Well, I think Lily's a girl name... so you're a girl? I didn't think chompies had genders because they were plant-spawn!" Hot Dog yipped excitedly, his tail looking like a blazing fan it was going so fast. Lily nodded and barked, "Girl!"

Hot Dog was beginning to feel giddy with happiness. So this chompy wasn't a bad one after all! And maybe he could find its family! "Where's your clan?" He asked it.

"Clan...?" It whined, tilting its head.

"Yeah, clan. Chompies are spawned in 'clans'," Hot Dog explained. "Where's yours?"

"Don't have one," Lily murmured, flitting her eyes at him. Hot Dog could raise and lower his outward temperature at will, so when she clambered on his back, she wasn't hurt by the heat. "But I can get along with the regular chompies! Aren't they green?"

"Oh no," Hot Dog shook his head in worry. "Oh no. Green chompies hurt purple chompies, that's why they can't live together." He also knew that purple chompies didn't take in chompies that came from the same plant-spawner they did. He frowned in thought. Well, if he couldn't take her to a family of her own, what if he just kept her with him? "But what if you stayed with me, Lily?"

Lily looked doubtful for a moment. "Where do you live?" She squeaked at last. She sounded young, and appeared young too, due to her small size. Her barks and sounds were also quite high-pitched too. Hot Dog smiled back at her over his shoulder.

"With the Skylanders right now! But I promise, they won't do anything to hurt you!" He explained quickly, his tongue lolling out as usual. He then pointed forward. "I can wait for a balloon and we can head back to the Citadel! I'm sure Flameslinger and some of the others would love to meet you!" Hot Dog barked excitedly, his tail going nine thousand miles per hour again. "Don't you think?"

"I don't know who they are, so I can't be sure..." Lily shook her head. "But I'll go anyway!" She hopped up and gave a bark of excitement herself, clutching onto his color with her stubby little arms. "So are we going now?"

Hot Dog barked happily and nodded. "Yep! Sure are!" He bounced across the grassy island and came to a stop at its edge. A dock jutted off from there. He had rode a brownie's balloon there. Brownies were catlike humanoids that were geniuses with anything plant-related. Almost all were Life elements. He sat down on the wooden dock and waited patiently for more to come.

Lily bounced around him. She soon became mesmerized by his flaming tail. "What's that?!" She asked in awe, pointing at his tail.

Hot Dog cocked his head and then explained, "Oh! Fire. My tail is made of fire because I'm a Fire element," he told her, grinning. She reached out to touch it and then jumped back, giving a loud whimper that sounded more like a wail to him. Hot Dog felt his spirits instantly plummet and anger at himself surge through him. He protectively picked her up and held her close to him, trying to whisper comforting things to her. It was weird. He'd never had to comfort anyone, and nobody had ever comforted him, so he had no idea how he knew what to say. But he did, somehow.

"Hey, it's alright," he told her, practically cooing like a bird. "It'll be fine. Fire's dangerous, you know. If you play with it, you're going to get burned." He'd heard several of the other Skylanders say that. Well, at least now he knew the meaning... He gently pried her burned stubby arm away from her undamaged one and showed her it. "See?" He then licked it gently with his wet tongue, dropping its temperature significantly so it was relieving to the burn rather than agitating to it.

She stopped whimpering and looked up at him. "Oh, I see," she finally said. "Hey-there's a balloon!"

Hot Dog turned to see Flynn standing and watching him with wide eyes. The mabu pilot cleared his throat and shook himself out of his stupor, righting his aviator's hat (which had been hung at an odd angle on his head). "Well, er, Hot Dog... Skylanders were beginning to get worried about you. And what're you doing with one of those little sharp-toothed abominations?!" He exclaimed, pointing at Lily. "You know what those things do? TEAR HOLES IN BALLOONS!" Flynn stood protectively in front of his balloon's basket, glaring at Lily. Lily shrunk back next to Hot Dog, who got up and arched his back aggressively. He snarled at Flynn.

"Oh well, she's coming along!" He allowed her to climb onto his back and marched past Flynn (who had moved aside out of shock) and sat down, Lily gently sliding off his back. Something much deeper had clicked inside him: an oath to protect the little purple chompy, even if she was considered one of an enemy species. Little did he know, he was going to grow very close to the chompy, and face a difficult decision no parent-surrogate or biological-ever wants to make.

* * *

**_One Year Later_**

* * *

"Hot Dog, can I talk to you?" Whirlwind called to the fire dog. Hot Dog was watching Flameslinger and Ignitor do a practice match. Lily was in the space between his front paws from where he lay. She was watching just as intently.

She wasn't as small as she was a year ago. She had grown. She was bigger, the size of an average adult purple chompy, and had learned much. Hot Dog had had to fight for her acceptance from a few of the Skylanders, but was surprised when the Undead elemental Skylanders jumped to Lily's defense so quickly. He guessed it was because they were excluded themselves quite a bit.

Flameslinger had also been quick to accept Lily. He had loved to goof off around her at first and make her yip in laughter, which nobody but Hot Dog could understand. He and Lily's head turned in perfect unison to Whirlwind, who was standing and watching them from not far away. "Yes?" Hot Dog barked. He had perfected his barks so that others of different species could understand him, but not as well as another creature that spoke with barks and growls could.

"I need to talk to you," she repeated. "Alone. That means Lily can't come."

Hot Dog hesitated for a moment. He looked down at Lily and got up, smiling at her. "You stay put, okay? Flameslinger!" He called out to the Fire elf.

Flameslinger dodged a swing of Ignitor's blazing blade and looked back over at Hot Dog. Well, sort of. His blindfold made it questionable whether he was looking directly at them or not. "Yes, 'Ot Dog?" He asked. Ignitor stilled himself and listened quietly.

"Can you watch Lily for a second? Whirlwind needs to talk to me!" Hot Dog explained, gesturing to Lily. She affectionately nibbled his paw a bit and then hopped away playfully before he had a chance to respond. Flameslinger chuckled and nodded.

"Sure 'zing!" He practically pranced over to Lily and began playing with her. Hot Dog grinned in satisfaction before following Whirlwind away. Whirlwind led him over to the brambles close to the Far Viewer, where Drobot was also standing. Hot Dog cocked his head in confusion. "What's going on?"

"Hot Dog, you remember how you said you found Lily alone on an island called Satosphere Isle?" Whirlwind asked. Without waiting for an answer, she continued. "Well, we located a small clan of purple chompies there. Their spawner was simply beginning hibernation when Lily was spawned. Lily actually wasn't supposed to be spawned when she was, but for some reason, she was. We think it was your warmth that confused the spawner for a few moments and it spawned a chompy out of reaction to it." Whirlwind then nodded to Drobot, who took up the statement and pointed at the Far Viewer.

"Well, she has not grown up like a normal chompy, and therefore, we must find a way for her to act like one. She can't stay at the Citadel forever. It is not beneficial for her, it is very negative for her mentally, actually. She will need to return to this island with her clan," Drobot paused, but then started right back up again. "We did not say anything prior to now because we were not worried about it until we saw how much of a… well… dog she acts like. I know chompies make canid sounds, but they do not act like canines. So it is crucial she returns to her clan."

It took Hot Dog a minute for all the words to make sense in the same sentence. He swallowed hard and then flattened his ears to his head, half of him not really wanting to hear any more. He looked at the ground rather than them. "So what you're saying is, we have to take her back?"

"Sometimes you have to let go," Whirlwind said a little evasively, shuffling her feet.

Hot Dog's tail shot straight down and he sighed deeply. He saw sense in what they were saying, but he didn't want to give her up that easily… And how would he explain to Lily? Surely if he just told her, she wouldn't understand… He suddenly realized he'd never had a dilemma or even a problem as complicated as this one before. It was a little overwhelming. So he asked for help. He wasn't ashamed of it. "But… how do I tell Lily?"

"She's a chompy, Hot Do—ow!" Drobot's reply was cut off by Whirlwind slapping him over the head with her wing. Whirlwind turned her eyes on Hot Dog warmly and she put a wing around him, padding away from Drobot.

"You simply explain to her that she needs to go back home. Surely she'll want to go home?" Whirlwind suggested lightly.

Simply. She had said simply. That didn't sound simple at all. He nodded anyway. "Alright," he finally whimpered in defeat. "I'll go tell her."

He made his way back through the brambles and sulked over to where Flameslinger was playing with Lily. He had his bow out, but no arrows, and was trailing it around her. "Now, Lily, what do 'vou do when 'vou're surrounded?"

"Attack!" She howled, clamping her scissoring teeth around the bow's midsection. Flameslinger laughed and tried pulling her off, but she kept her teeth latched on tight. He tried talking to her and telling her to let go, but she must have still thought he was playing, because she didn't release the bow.

Hot Dog sped up to a trot and stopped Flameslinger before his voice could harden or he could become agitated. "Lily," Hot Dog said gently to her, "let go of the bow. I have to talk to you, okay?"

Lily unlatched her jaws from the bow and plopped down on the ground. "Yes?" She yipped, bouncing along after Hot Dog as he led her away towards the edge of the Citadel. He made sure to watch her bounce along, so carefree, because soon, he wouldn't be able to watch that anymore. It was like something was hurting him from the inside, churning his chest in circles…

He stopped moving and sat down. Lily flopped down in front of him, watching her intently with her stalky eyes. "Well?" She queried, tilting her head to the side somewhat.

"Well… Lily, we found your family. Remember when I found you and asked you about your clan? We found them," he told her, being sure to smile, however sorrowful of a smile it would be. "We found them, and we need to take you back to them. Is that okay?"

Lily beamed, her fangs glinting in the sunlight. She bounced around a bunch more. "Yes! My family? You mean, like, other chompies?" She slowed herself, but continued to grin. "Of course I'd love to meet them!"

He didn't quite feel she got the big picture. "No, Lily, we mean… for you to go live with them."

Lily stopped for a moment. "Well, if I do, you can come and visit…?" It sounded like a statement and a question crossed. Hot Dog swallowed hard against the knot that was forming in his throat and shook his head.

"No. I won't be able to. Chompies are territorial, they won't allow others of a different species around them much," he explained further. "I mean, you can go back and see all your brothers and sisters… I mean, you all came from the same spawner, so they would all be your siblings… It'd be better for you than staying here, watching us all the time." He said, trying to put some sort of conviction in his defeated tone. "And purple chompies are a protected species, so nobody will hurt you." He wasn't too sure of that either. Poachers… the word alone made him cringe.

Lily scuffed her stubbly feet across the grass. It now only licked the top of her legs, whereas when he found her, they came up to the bottom of her tall eyes. She spoke with less excitement this time, but he could tell she was suppressing it. "Well… I guess I'll go back. That's okay with me… but what about you?"

He looked at her closely. Could she really understand how big of a deal this was to him? She had a look of determination in her eyes as she took his body posture in and tone of voice. She appeared to be trying to calculate what he could possibly be feeling. But it was only confusing her. She sighed and gave up and he touched his nose to the part of her face where her nose would be, and she nipped his nose affectionately. It brought a smile back to his downcast face. "Well, suit up, little Lily. We'll be going there in not too long. Or whenever Drobot decides it's time to go."

**_Three Days Later_**

Hot Dog laid in the back of the balloon basket, his legs wrapped firmly around Lily. However much he knew he was supposed to let her go today, he wanted to hold onto her tighter than ever. Oh, he knew it'd be a tale for generations to come: the Skylander that became a fatherly figure to a chompy that had been thought to be an orphan. But he didn't care. He had come to cherish her too much to care what others thought, and he had been too oblivious a year ago to realize what others would think.

Lily was clutching onto him just as tightly, but excitement shone in her eyes. She was finally returning to the world she left from the moment she was spawned, and to meet it for the first time… she was excited. Hot Dog wanted to be happy for her, but he was selfishly wishing she didn't have to go.

Flynn was piloting the balloon. Drobot was holding a map in his claws, reading it, and then telling Flynn where to go. After many spats between Drobot and Flynn about Flynn's humility, or lack thereof, they finally made it to the island. Lily was only just managing to keep still by the time they got there, and when the balloon landed, any somberness she had left vanished. She jumped up and started pestering Drobot.

Hot Dog didn't move at first. Flynn left the balloon, leaving Drobot inside the balloon basket. "Get off my tail, Lily," he growled to her. She had clamped down on his tailpiece and wasn't letting go anytime soon. Hot Dog snickered at it for a moment, glad to have something to chuckle at. He got off his feet and coaxed Lily off Drobot's tail.

She bounced a little more. "Sorry! I'm excited!"

"I can tell," Drobot muttered, getting out of the balloon's basket. Hot Dog followed, trying not to trip over Lily as she ran circles around each of his paws. It didn't take long to spot the other purple chompies.

A purple and gold, glittering chompy pod sat not too far away. Little purple chompies were moving around it, small dens being created and different plant parts being gathered. Hot Dog had no idea what they were doing, and he was sure Lily wouldn't either. But the second the purple chompies saw their visitors, they snarled and formed a line of defense in front of the chompy pod. The pod simply spat out another purple chompy, completely ignorant to its surroundings. The chompy joined the others in the battle line.

"We come in peace, we come in peace, little purple thingamajigs!" Flynn cried, darting back into the basket of his balloon. Drobot groaned in exasperation and spoke to the small creatures.

"Listen," he began. "We come with a lost member of your clan. You will recognize her because her permanent scent has a hint of that particular chompy pod. Now, Lily, go on."

Lily hesitated for a moment, her eyes moving around as she took in each of the fierce-looking little creatures. She shrunk back against Hot Dog. "Um… maybe I can go back to the Citadel." She said quietly.

Hot Dog spoke up this time. "She's part of your clan! Either you take her, or she stays with us, and we're not chompies. That's not right. So, here she is," Hot Dog growled, picking up Lily by a loose skin flap on the back of her neck. He carried her over to the other chompies and dropped her. Lily scrambled to her feet and looked at the other chompies fearfully. A few sniffed her, while the others glared at the Skylanders. How they were sniffing her, Hot Dog had no clue, as they had no noses. But he didn't doubt it.

After smelling her for a good bit, the chompies retracted their fangs back into their mouths and some returned to what they had been doing. Lily cast a jubilant look back at them and spoke to Hot Dog once again. "Thank you, Hot Dog! Thank you all! I hope I see you all again someday!" She then bounced away, after her 'family'.

Hot Dog grinned half-heartedly, feeling his eyes wet. His eyes had never done that before. He shook himself, trying to rid himself of the feeling. _Sometimes you just have to let go._ Whirlwind's words echoed in his head and he repeated them out loud softly. "Goodbye, Lily." He murmured under his breath, returning to the balloon with a sorrowful grin on his face. Sure, it hurt, but he knew she'd be better off with it this way.

* * *

**Now before you go "What the f*** did I just read", this came about after I wanted to do something that was actually somewhat positive for once... Kinda failed that at the end, but eh, whatever. I personally think chompies are very cute, so no hating on that, please. I know it's a weird idea, no need to restate that either. xD**


	3. No Way Out

_**No Way Out**_

**Oneshot Rating: T**

* * *

"Why can't they just leave me alone?!"

"Cynder, calm down, please. You're going to give me a headache."

Cynder turned to stare at her, pale, blue eyes burning hatred at the dark she-elf. She was breathing heavily and her wings were flared in frustration. What was wrong with this elf? Cynder knew that Hex had been through much with Malefor as well, but… she didn't comfort Cynder. Sure, Hex wasn't much of a one for comfort, but when Spyro was busy and all, Cynder would seek her out. Hex, however, seemed to blow off everything… It was maddening. Between getting constantly reprimanded by others and having nobody to consult, it was driving her insane.

They were inside the lower deck of the Dread-Yacht. Everybody else was above deck or back at the Citadel. It was close to nighttime. They weren't really worried about being taken off the Portal, because their Portal Master kept it running quite often and late into the night. Hex was floating and focusing on a spell she was trying to perfect. Cynder was pacing back and forth, her body posture screaming aggravation.

They had just left a place known as Red Hallows. The land was called that due to it being a desert and the sun being blocked off from it because of two titanic mountains that stood on either side of it. A local Red Hallow salamander had wasted no time in recalling information about her past the second he heard Cynder's name. That was all it needed to know to speak of the horrors she had created in the Dragon Realms, and even a myth that some of her wrongdoings had affected Skylands.

Spyro was currently busy helping several new recruits get to know how the Skylanders worked better—Pop Fizz, Fright Rider, and Hot Dog—so Cynder could not go to him. She didn't want him to see her like this anyway. She had instead sought out Hex, and now, here they were. But Hex wasn't being much help either… which lately, she hadn't been much help at all to anyone.

"Hex, please…" Cynder stopped pacing and simply tried digging her claws into the ground. "Why can't they just put it behind them? I'm not the same as I was anymore!"

Hex finally opened her eyes and straightened her back, coming to her full height. "Cynder," Hex began slowly in her normal drawl, "they don't put it behind them because they don't want to. They find it amusing to watch you suffer. So ignore them." Hex turned her attention to the cannon Seraphina, the doll they had met at Willikin Village, had built. She ran her fingers over the top of it. "They want to see you break and crumble under the pressure. See you live with the pain."

Cynder sighed and looked down at her claws. "So… what should I do? Because that's exactly what it does to me…"

"Which is pathetic," Hex growled coldly. "Ignore them, of course. Do you think I wallowed in my own filth after Malefor did this to me?" Hex made a fluid gesture to all of her body. "No. No I did not. I stood straight and kept my chin up. Sure, sometimes I wish I could cry or scream or yell to the wind how much I hate life, but I don't. Because if you don't, they have nothing to feed on, therefore, leave you be. How do you think I got Ignitor off my back when I first came to the Skylanders? That Fire spirit tailed me wherever I went shouting the foulest of things he could utter. I simply ignored him and he got over it. Plain and simple."

Cynder folded her wings back against her sides. "So… you mean… just ignore them? And they'll stop?"

"Not absolutely all the time, but most of the time, yes. There will always be someone who has to call it out just for the heck of it, but the same person will never do it twice if you act indifferent the first time," Hex muttered, taking her hands off the cannon and locking her white eyes onto Cynder. "Unfortunately, for us, the Undead element, we're just not very well-liked. We have to live up to our cold demeanor so nobody can touch us. It might help to add in a little cockiness on the side." With that, Hex swept out of the deck, levitating out of the trap door with ease.

Cynder just stared after her. So, she was supposed to act just as cold and uncaring as many described her, in order to get them to leave her alone? Hex was never messed with anymore. When she had first come, many Skylanders loved to chat about her behind her back and aggravate her on purpose, but that usually ended in her giving a death threat, and they left her be.

But many did not trust Hex because of that. Many believed her to still be evil, and just be hiding it under that indifferent demeanor. Did Cynder want to take that path? Would Spyro like her if she did? She sighed in defeat. She had no idea what to do. There truly was no way out, just no way to get out of the tangled web of lies and evil that surrounded her very name…

Cynder.

Despicable.

Hateful.

Cruel.

Killer.

Tormentor.

Sick.

Twisted.

Wicked.

Dark.

Unforgiving.

Deadly.

Deceitful.

And the list went on and on. As she remembered that, she began to wonder whether she should at least try Hex's method. She shook her head, clearing it, and flew out of the lower deck.

Her deduction: there was no way out.

* * *

**If you couldn't tell, this was inspired by the song "No Way Out" by Phil Collins. Yes, I know, it comes from Brother Bear, I do not care. xD**


	4. Undead Newbie

_**Undead Newbie**_

**Oneshot Rating: T**

_**SPOILER WARNING. If you haven't beaten SKYLANDERS: SWAP FORCE, it is recommended you be careful reading this. It may have a few spoilers in it. The main character in this one is Roller Brawl, a new Swap Force core character who was released in wave one or the launch wave.**_

* * *

She tried to keep her temper in check, to be positive all the time, but it was just so… hard! Some of these Skylanders were so irritating! And she swore some of them did it on purpose!

"Roller Brawl, are you going to do something or are we going to have to drag you out?" Hex drawled.

Roller Brawl clenched her jaw, looking up from where she stood. She was leaning against the big tree at Woodburrow, the one just a little ways away from the training dummies. She had the front of her roller skate pressed forward on her right foot so she didn't slip and fall and her other leg crossed. Hex didn't need to order her around. She knew good and well that the witch wanted her to have a practice match with her. But that didn't mean she'd like it. Whether Roller Brawl meant Hex or herself wouldn't like it is for you to decide.

Roller Brawl didn't like to be negative towards others. But since her brothers' disappearance thanks to Kaos, she had found it harder and harder to keep her temper in check. And Hex seemed to draw it out. Sometimes the other Skylanders would tease her for being new, as well.

She normally would have responded to Hex "I'll be right there," but now, she just glared at the Undead elven sorceress. As much as she cared, she could go drop off the edge of Skylands. But she seemed to be the core of the Undead element, and whenever things went awry within the Skylanders of the Undead element, Hex was the one everybody turned to.

Why, she had no clue. Hex was cold, mean, and calculating. Why Rider saw so much in her, she would never understand either.

Hex waved her hand. "Hello? Anybody home, newbie?"

Roller Brawl clenched her fists and unraveled her legs, rolling forward some with practiced ease. She stopped in front of Hex and spoke in a voice as cold as ice. She was doing her best to max Hex's uncaring and indifferent tone, but it wasn't working. "Why me? Why not Chop Chop or even Grim Creeper for Life's sake?"

"I'm not living," Hex pointed out placidly. She then dusted off her gown and looked Roller Brawl up and down scornfully. "And why are you trying to get out of sparring with me? Afraid I'll win?"

That was the last straw. "No, I'm not!" Roller Brawl spat, barely keeping her balance on her skates. "Now do me a favor and shut up!" She turned and rolled away towards the beach where Wheellock sat. He could use a little Magic with the help with the current Chieftess, Tessa, to recreate adventures the Skylanders had faced to try and hone their skills. She rolled right past him, blowing his hat at an awkward angle, and into the Hollow.

She flopped down next to the Pool. What a mystical place it was. She had been "born" Undead, thanks to her vampire race. To understand what it was like to be living, she would give anything. But no. She was stuck with the dark and foreboding and shadowy figures of the Undead and an antagonistic witch to boot. The Pool would calm her down sometimes, but not always.

Right now, the water was trembling slightly from the force of her sitting down next to it. She eyed the water, glowering at it. To blame it for all of her troubles would be far too easy, but she knew it was a sacred place for the Elder Elementals. To blame it would be like blaming the elements themselves, including the Life element. She only hated the Undead element.

She blew her one split end of hot pink hair out her face. Vampires, in Skylands, appeared slightly different according to gender. While she had pale pink outlines to her pupils (she wasn't blind!), Night Shift, also a vampire, had blank, white eyes.

She soon heard footsteps. The familiar hop-hop of the feet made her recognize Rider's steed, Fright, right away. He made his way over to her. She didn't look at him, she only stared at the crystal-blue water. "What do you want?" She asked him. It wasn't accusatory or venomous, she merely wanted to know what he wanted. Rider never seemed to put her down, but Fright would find any excuse possible to try to snap her head off.

"What are you doing down here?" He asked her gently.

"What do you think? Staying away from Miss Witch till she calms down," Roller Brawl grumbled. She had been tempted to say 'Miss Witch Bitch' but knew that cussing would be like spitting on her already-missing brothers, who had preached to her that cussing was wrong for so long that it was engraved into her head. She disturbed the water's surface by touching it gently with her foot.

"Up you get," Rider had gotten off Fright from the sound of it. When his arms forced her to her feet, she felt like fighting him off, but her arms weren't really obeying her. When he spun her around, she faced him unevenly, the one split end of pink hair back in her face. It annoyed her so much. She tried blowing it out her face, but it didn't work. She played the spoiled brat role for her Portal Master so she wouldn't try to delve deeper into my mind. So whenever she was 'played' with (she doesn't really play as us, she is a true Portal Master, and therefore, can communicate with us but is somewhat limited) she'd say tough and brattish things. But in truth, she wasn't.

Rider pushed the hair out her face and spoke calmly. "Hex is like that whenever we get new recruits. She does it to test you. I figured that out the hard way when I arrived." He chuckled gently and petted Fright on the head. The ostrich had begun growling. Oh yes, ostriches could growl, and it would be the scariest thing you would ever encounter in your lifetime. Especially a wingless, bony one with electrified blue eyes. It still disturbed her deeply but she ignored it. "Hex does that to see what presses your buttons. What can get you moving. I have to say her ways of working aren't right—you've obviously been through enough—but let's not forget what Hex went through herself. Fate gave her the cold shoulder by having Malefor force her into hiding for so long and then she was turned Undead by trying to get him to leave her alone. She might boast about it like it was truly a boring task and was more of a job than anything, but trust me, that's not how she felt at the time. Hex likes to hide her true feelings beneath a blanket of complexity."

He got back on top of Fright and nodded towards the entrance to the Hollow. "She'll be negative for a while to see what ticks you off so she knows what situations wouldn't suit you well. Like, if we had an enemy that liked to play mind games, would you be able to ignore them to fight them? Or would you become blinded by rage and just start charging red? Later, she'll seem to calm down and ask you stupid questions. In fact, if I remember correctly, the first one will be 'what's your favorite color'. Hex isn't as bad as she seems."

_Of course you don't think that. She doesn't hate your guts,_ Roller Brawl felt like growling out to him. But she decided to take his words to heart and give it a second chance. Roller Brawl wasn't sure if Hex was exactly the same with Grim Creeper. She surely didn't do it with Night Shift or Rattle Shake because they were a good eighty or so years older than she was. But Roller Brawl and Grim Creeper were new to the whole Skylander business. She thought that Grim Creeper had to get the same, if not harsher, treatment because of his love for life.

Much like herself, Grim Creeper loved life even if he wasn't living himself. He was so positive no matter what happened though, with a somewhat crude Undead joke here and there, that Roller Brawl sometimes found herself wondering how the ghoul managed the act. It had to be an act. There was no way anybody could just naturally be that positive, especially an Undead element… right?

She sighed and found Rider was still staring at her. "Oh, uh—yes, right. I will. Thank you, Rider," she responded to him, aware that Fright was growling again.

_I hate you too;_ Roller Brawl bit back the retort to the ostrich in her mouth.

Rider led her out the Hollow. On the way out, she apologized to Wheellock for her rushing past him. He said it was all dandy and that there was nothing to be sorry about, so she continued on her way. Fright Rider left when Flameslinger called to him excitedly (for what, Roller Brawl had no clue). It didn't take her long to find Hex.

"So, Rider gave you 'the talk', huh?" Hex mused.

"What?" Roller Brawl looked up and dared to meet the witch's eyes. Those cold, blank, soulless eyes. What an evil creature she had become, Hex.

"Told you all about my 'test'. Hate it when he does that, really ruins the fun of it all. The Skylander always has this huge fit once they realized all their hatred towards me was invalid in the end," Hex crossed her arms in a bored fashion and closed her eyes, the tiniest ghost of a smirk on her face. "Well, he's right. I'm not as evil as they all say. Perhaps dark and malevolent at times, but never evil. What's evil is the Darkness, and it hasn't quite gotten to me completely yet. You can relax and calm down now. So, what's your favorite color?"

"You're kidding me… right?" Roller Brawl blurted out before she could stop herself.

Hex opened her eyes and the ghost of a smirk became a real one. "No, I'm not." The smirk disappeared and a cold look replaced it. "You're a new Skylander. I wanted to test your limits. I wanted to see what made you tick and what situations you'd be best suited for. Nothing more. Rider adds in that color part just to throw you off. Don't worry about it anymore. You're a Skylander. That's all there is to it." With that, Hex turned to float off.

Roller Brawl had the fleeting need to go and tell the sorceress she thought nothing bad about her, but at the same time, a sick feeling of hatred. Hex had used her knowledge of emotions to get under her skin and figure out things about her without even directly asking. It was a little disconcerting.

Roller Brawl sighed and watched her go. She never knew becoming a Skylander would involve so much drama. She felt a hand on her shoulder and whirled around on her skates to see Rider grinning at her. "What are you smiling at?" She asked him a bit more venomously than she meant to.

"You. I'm sure you and Hex will get along just fine," he snickered.

Her? And Hex? Getting along? That didn't make sense, period. "If she ever decides she wants something to do with me." _And if I ever get over her making a fool out of me._ She left out the last part.

"If she did that much just to annoy you and whatnot, I'm sure she'll try to get to know you better. Just not right this second," Rider tilted his head. Fright approached them, growling at her all the while. She suppressed the urge to throw something at the ostrich.

Roller Brawl finally smiled back at him. "I guess so. Hex is so confusing!"

"You have _no_ idea," the drawl of Hex's voice sent both her and Rider jumped back. She was right next to them. "Surprise. I am a sorceress, what did you expect?" She cast a wicked look at the both of them.

"What were we thinking," Roller Brawl said sarcastically, getting up. So maybe Hex wasn't so bad after all…


	5. Like Clockwork

_**Like Clockwork**_

**Oneshot Rating: T**

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"Spy Rise, right?"

Spy Rise jumped about seven inches and came back down, glowering at the golding. Sprocket merely snickered at him. He had been watching Drobot and Pop Fizz collaboratively work together on a project near the bridge to the Tower of Time. Drobot would ask Pop Fizz to create something and the gremlin could do it in two seconds. It was definitely impressive. But due to watching them so closely, he had let his guard down and Sprocket had surprised him.

"Classified," he grunted.

Sprocket groaned and put her hands on her hips. Spy Rise was sitting behind a mushroom, even though he towered over it somewhat, but Sprocket was standing in the small stream behind him. "Are ya really gonna start with that classified junk again? I just wanna get to know ya. And Magna Charge has already gone and told me you're Spy Rise, so don't bother changing my mind on that. That's Drobot and Pop Fizz. They work together all the time, but Drobot snaps at Pop Fizz every now and again."

Spy Rise had learned the hard way to never let your guard down. He was watching Pop Fizz and Drobot so closely so he could understand how they operated better. He barely trusted his own Swap Force teammates, and even then, still had trust issues with several of them (such as Magna Charge, Trap Shadow, and Rubble Rouser). He certainly did not trust this golding. He hadn't met her before today and he hadn't seen her in action whatsoever. Until she proved herself, he would not trust her.

His father had been abducted by a shadowy figure and taken prisoner near the summit of Mt. Cloudbreak when he was young. It was then when he realized trust had to be earned, not given unconditionally. That was for fools. He had, obviously, rescued his father, and stopped the shadowy figure's true plan, which was what had made him a Skylander about a hundred years ago.

So to have let his guard down was like spitting on his father's memory.

"Classified," he grunted again.

"You really are a robot. Ya sound like a broken record!" Sprocket huffed, finally leaving him be. She stomped off towards Drobot and Pop Fizz, where she got into an argument with the blue gremlin.

"I don't get you."

Spy Rise looked down and saw the orange, pistol-wielding gremlin, Trigger Happy. He had heard tales that he used to be partially insane, the gremlin seemed okay for the most part. Until you got him started on gold, that was. But Spy Rise wasn't going to let his guard down anyway. He answered Trigger Happy with a gruff shrug.

"I mean, you're a private investigator and all you do is sit around and watch us! Why don't you get to know us any?" Trigger Happy whined, jumping around Spy Rise's legs. Spy Rise scowled down at him. _Because I can get to know you better when you don't think you're being watched, _he thought. He didn't answer out loud, however. He merely stared down at him.

Trigger Happy poked him with one of his pistols. "Helloooo, anybody home?"

Spy Rise resisted the urge to spit at the gremlin to get lost. He ignored him instead. Eventually Trigger Happy got bored and ran off. Then a new pest showed up. At least this pest he trusted somewhat.

Freeze Blade came flying, stopping only just before running into his mechanical buddy. "Heya Spy Rise!" He called, sliding up beside him. "Lookin' sharp today, huh? Why ya gotta be so cold, hmm?" He teased.

Spy Rise resisted the urge to spit at him too. He spoke this time, but it wasn't much. "Because I want to."

"Yeesh. And I'm cold," he snickered and ducked out of Spy Rise's reach as the robot flashed a fist at him. "Hey, cool it there, robot-man! All I'm tryin' to say is, don't be so icy."

"Why are you here, Freeze Blade?" Spy Rise ignored his comments and got straight to the point. Freeze Blade had to want something.

"Oh, yeah, that! Wash Buckler and Spyro wants you, me, and Magna Charge to head on over to one of the treefolk villages. One's been complainin' of trolls invadin' 'em. Let's just be sure not to get into any fire! Smoke stains my ice," Freeze Blade ran a paw over the ice blocks on his head. "And I gotta stay cool! Hey, did you hear that Earth song the Portal Master just BLARED the other day? 'Ice Ice Baby'? Woo, gotta see if I can get you to burn me that song!"

"I heard it was illegal on Earth," Spy Rise said placidly. "And why does Magna Charge have to go?"

"Yeah, burnin' music's illegal—ON EARTH. We're in Skylands, Lieutenant Nuts and Bolts! Oh, and he wants us to go on the mission with Magna Charge 'cause uh…" Freeze Blade paused and stood still before shrugging and lazily scooting around Spy Rise. "No idea, Snowclaw! Now c'mon, let's go!"

"Snowclaw? Sometimes you amaze me," Spy Rise said sarcastically, the ice cat's upbeat tone beginning to sink in. He followed Freeze Blade to the center of Woodburrow. He didn't stop yapping the whole time. And it certainly didn't help when Sprocket came running up to them again.

They were only just reaching Rufus when she showed up. Rufus was paying them no attention, frowning as he looked over a sheet of paper in his dark tawny paws. Sprocket ran up to Spy Rise, panting. "Will you… will you come here, just a second?"

"Spy's got a girlfriend, Spy's got a girlfriend, Spy's got a girlf—HEY, not in the headski, pal!" Freeze Blade yowled as Spy Rise sent another fist in his direction. The ice cat skated away towards the center of Woodburrow, shouting out "Spy's got a girlfriend!" the whole time and leaving an icy trail behind him.

"What do you want, golding?" Spy Rise growled, training his eyes on her. Sprocket didn't seem to realize his tone.

"Come on! Please!" She exclaimed, turning and jogging off, straight past the center of Woodburrow. Wash Buckler would not be pleased. Spy Rise could see the mermasquid and Freeze Blade communicating already, Magna Charge rolling over to them.

But something in Sprocket's voice made him ignore the call of duty and follow her. Sprocket was waiting just by Tuk's Emporium. Spy Rise skittered his spiderlike feet over the ground easily, bypassing Barkin, who called out to him. Spy Rise gave no response.

Sprocket was tapping her foot on the ground impatiently. Tuk, who was sweeping up near the isles of his shop as the Yeti Councilor looked around, looked up at her with a raised brow. Sprocket made no notice of him and called to Spy Rise again. "Come on, Spy Rise, can't those spiderlegs of yours go any faster?" With that she turned and rocketed off towards the center of the loading deck of the Sky Docks, just beside the silver and light-emitting Launch Pool.

Spy Rise grumbled to himself crossly as he followed her. He shouldn't be following her. He really shouldn't. He should be wondering why she was in such a hurry and interrogating her before running blindly off after her. But she seemed so desperate… perhaps after so many years he was going soft?

Sprocket stayed where she was until he got there. "Well? What is it you want?" Spy Rise asked her.

"Finally you say somethin' other than 'Classified'!" She snorted, stamping her foot and unfolding her crossed arms. She then got an awfully nervous look on her face and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "Er, uh… I tried to 'upgrade' my turret in a way, and it kind of 'backfired', big time, so I need your help."

"Well where's the turret?" Spy Rise was becoming more and more suspicious of her by the second.

"There," Sprocket pointed at the Dimension Pool. Spy blinked. The Dimension Pool? The Dimension Pool could be fallen into at a great distance or if the person/thing had enough momentum. Spy Rise suddenly wondered how Sprocket's turret could have gotten in there. "I, uh, started messin' around with it and it fell into the Dimension Pool."

"Where were you at, the top of the Leftside Tree?" Spy Rise scoffed. There were two giant trees in Woodburrow. The one near the training dummies was called the Rightside Tree and the one near the Sky Docks was called the Leftside Tree.

Sprocket sheepishly grinned. "Yes, yes I was, actually."

Spy Rise groaned. "Alright. I'll help you. But just this once!" He warned her, making his way over to the mushroom stools that stuck off the side of the Leftside Tree. He bounced up them until he was dizzy from the height and the circular motion and until he reached the lowest branch that hung over the Dimension Pool. He bravely took stance on the edge and then leaped off, a moment's panic flaring before he hit the watery substance that would transfer him through a Cloudbreak dimension and into a small space. A gap in time itself, filled by various, and sometimes dangerous, items and enemies and mutations of sorts.

Spy Rise had come across many when he used to be known as one of the Elitists. Some were downright deadly, others had nothing but gold in them. He hoped this one was a gold-filled one.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a tiny island connected to other small islands by various bridges. Gold coins were sprinkled here and there, but then, so was a turret further down the bridge in front of him. And it was shooting.

It took aim at him and started blasting lasers at the speed of light. Spy Rise, caught off guard, took the first few blasts. He gritted his teeth against it and looked over the sides of the island. There was an island below the one he was standing on, but if he misjudged the jumping distance, it was game over for him. He calculated the distance of the jump, the velocity the springs behind his legs could create, all in about two seconds, and then jumped, a few more lasers catching him on the way down.

His left shoulder had gotten most of the damage. He winced and attempted to stand, only for a sharp searing pain to flow up one of his legs. Had Sprocket tricked him? She had said something was wrong with her turret. But what if she had tricked him and was actually attempting to do something to him?

Was this how his father felt when the evil person tricked him?

"Spy!"

Spy Rise looked up to see Sprocket peering over the island he had once been on. He went to shout at her to look out, but Sprocket hopped off the island before he had a chance to. He caught her before she could land and injure herself. He set her down gently and winced again as another bolt of pain shot through him.

"What I tell ya? Damn turret's gone nuts!" She exclaimed.

Spy Rise blinked at her. So, she hadn't been trying to trick him at all?

Sprocket turned and pointed to a bridge that slowly went upwards and eventually wound its way up to where the turret was located. "Looks like we're gonna have to go up that way to disable it. Right above the turret should be the rendezvous point that'll take us back to Woodburrow. Gotta hate the Dimension Pool," she cast a grin at him, however.

Spy Rise was confused. He didn't understand. Had she tricked him or not? He wasn't sure.

Sprocket started running off up the bridge. When she realized he wasn't following, she turned and looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"My leg—it's broken," he answered, another burning pain climbing up his body. "The spring's busted. I'm afraid I can't move."

Sprocket got a dark look on her face. "Alright, I'll disable the turret and come back with help for ya!"

"How? I thought you wanted my help because you couldn't disable it yourself?" Spy Rise asked her, suspicion in his tone.

"That was why I asked ya. But if ya can't move, then there's nothin' I can do about it and I'm gonna just have to bite the bullet. Literally," she snorted and ran off. Spy Rise gaped after her, struggling to move. It was painful, yes, but he was beginning to doubt Sprocket had tricked him at all. Perhaps she had really needed help, and he wasn't helping. She'd get herself killed by that thing!

Then the sound of the lasers going off. The sound of something smacking against the ground. Spy Rise forced himself to move, stifling shouts of pain as he dragged his one useless leg along. He fell over once, but finally managed to get up to the view of the turret.

It was destroyed, and on fire, but Sprocket was in a heap on the ground. Her hair blew in a slight breeze, but she wasn't moving. Spy Rise felt panic settle in his chest and he forced himself along, adrenaline beginning to force the pain away.

He reached her and pressed a metallic thumb to her throat. She had a pulse, so she was alive. But when he went to heave her onto his back, his hand touched a sticky, hot, wet spot. Blood. Sprocket's lower abdomen was bleeding, and bleeding badly. A small puddle of blood had formed beneath her.

He gently lifted her off the ground and into his hands. The rendezvous point was a blue light in the sky just above the dismantled parts of the turret… which was also on fire. He cursed out loud and dove into the flames, reaching out and touching the blue light.

A flash of bright, azure sky, white, and then grass was in his face.

"Spy! What happened?!"

Spy Rise's head felt like it was spinning as the familiar voice reached his mechanical eardrums. He tried getting up, but the pain was now unbearable and he was unable to. He had used his body like a landing pad and had kept Sprocket safe from a rough landing, but he hadn't been quite so lucky.

Freeze Blade leaned over him. Spy Rise must have had double vision, because he saw four Freeze Blades, not just one. "Man—what in the resort happened to you two?! And Sprocket's bleeding! Yowch! Whirlwind! Flashwing!" He called. He turned his attention back to Spy Rise. The four Freeze Blades he saw became six. "Don't worry, Snowclaw, it'll be fine."

* * *

_**Two Weeks...**_

* * *

Spy Rise looked up from where he was sitting. Whirlwind moved around him, padding across the soft grass and looking him over. "Looks like you've been fully repaired."

"Where's Sprocket?" He asked. He had been knocked out for most of the two weeks that had passed since his and Sprocket's escapade in the Dimension Pool. It was some sort of dulling acid that Drobot had created similar to anesthesia for living beings. So he had fallen out of the loop and had no idea what had happened in the past two weeks.

Whirlwind snorted and came to a stop. They were near the statues of the Elder Elementals. Whirlwind sat on her haunches. "Sprocket's fine, if you define fine by yelling about how I won't let you go anywhere. That girl came to this world kicking and didn't stop even when she was bleeding to death," Whirlwind grumbled. "Probably why her recovery is taking so long, because the girl won't sit still! And she's been wanting to see you badly. Couldn't let her though because you were still in recovery yourself and weren't even awake enough to process anything."

Spy Rise felt like he was having trouble processing what he was hearing. So Sprocket had nearly gotten herself shot to death at his expense, and then had been worried about him when she was the one who was in serious danger of dying? He honestly wondered why. Common sense would say care for yourself, but what if something else was telling her not to? He shook his head. It hurt.

"Hey, Snowclaw's up!" Freeze Blade exclaimed, showering both Whirlwind and Spy Rise as he came skating over to them. He grinned at them both. "And I'm not alone. Sprocket's on her way too, and woo, that girl could melt ice with the way she acts!"

"You make the worst puns ever, just wanted to point that out," Whirlwind muttered.

"What's that?" Freeze Blade asked, sneezing.

"Nothing," Whirlwind mused.

"Spy! I swear, if Flashwing had kept me in that frickin den any longer, I woulda screamed!" Sprocket cried, coming from the main plaza of Woodburrow. Spy Rise felt oddly happy to see her, when he should have been resentful for her getting him into this mess. She approached him and grinned at him. "That was an adventure, huh?"

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot! Spy's got a girlfriend, Spy's got a girlfriend, Spy's got a girlfriend!" Freeze Blade shouted, skating away before anything could happen to him. "WOO! YOU ALL HEARD ME! SPY'S GOT A GIRLFRIEND, _SPY'S GOT A GIRLFRIEND_!"

"I don't know about you, but I am formulatin' a plan to kill that ice cat," Sprocket said, glowering at Freeze Blade as he left.

"You and me both," Spy Rise actually grinned at the joke and nodded.

"Oh, so you CAN say something other than 'classified!'" Whirlwind huffed.

* * *

**Written for JaneShenanigans. Sent me a request for a Spy Rise one and I have to say, her and I's impressions of Spy Rise are very, very different. So I hope you like it Jane, because I'm nervous. xD**


	6. Magic in the Air

_**Magic in the Air**_

**Oneshot Rating: T**

* * *

"Swarm, get your hands off!" Ninjini spat, eyes narrowed in fury. "I don't care, alright?! He doesn't own me! He's not my father! GET YOUR HANDS OFF!" She ripped her arms out of his grip and glared at him, her swords appearing in her hands. "Touch me again—SEE WHAT HAPPENS!"

Swarm sighed and backed away from her. "I'm just trying to tell you to be a little more respectful! For Life's sake, is that too much to ask?" He tilted his head, putting his hands firmly at his sides. He had lost his temper for a moment. He had laid hands on her. He hadn't meant to.

"I don't give a damn what it is you want me to do! You don't own me either!" She snarled, arms shaking in rage. Swarm looked at her, his hatred flaring up all over again. A little respect! Was that too much?!

"I know you were locked in a bottle for most of your life, but I would have thought even you would understand the definition of respect!" He got in her face again. "Allow me to give you it! Respect, noun, the act of silent admiration for someone's achievements, qualities, or other features! And I'm not even asking for that, so much as a grunt in his direction would suffice!" He grabbed her arms and glared, soulless white eyes into soulless white eyes.

She wrenched her arms away from him again. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" She screamed, slashing the air in front of her. He was forced to fly back some. "He doesn't deserve any! Not after what he did!" She turned and went to leave, but Swarm flew in front of her, clenching her hands tight in his own. Fury was overtaking him now.

"HE'S DONE ALL HE CAN AND ALL YOU CAN THINK TO DO IS INSULT HIM? YOU HONESTLY DON'T DESERVE TO BE A SKYLANDER!" He yelled in her face.

Ninjini tried to wrestle away from him again, but his grip was too tight. She glowered at him and bared her teeth, even if they weren't threatening. "Get your damn hands off me or I'll—"

"Or you'll what?" He demanded, practically spitting his words. "You'll go mouth off to Flashwing? You're a disgrace and nothing more!"

"GET YOUR HANDS _OFF_!" He eyes went aglow bright red and he was thrown back against the tree.

He staggered back to his feet to find Ninjini eyeing him somewhat fearfully. She moved back some as he started towards her. "Don't touch me! Don't you so much as glance in my direction!" With that, she snapped her fingers, and vanished.

Swarm kicked his foot hard into the soil below him. Leave it to Ninjini to be the most frustrating person on Skylands! Blinded by rage, he wasn't thinking about how he had put hands on her. He was just aggravated that she refused to show an inkling of respect for Spyro!

But Ninjini refused to show any respect at all. She would insult him any chance she got since he wasn't there. It was unbearably irritating. Shaking in his fury, Swarm just stood there for a long time, fuming. He was next to the Tree of Life at the Citadel.

Only the other Giants were there. He was sure their yelling had woken them up, but he honestly didn't care. It wasn't until a hand touched his back that he even took interest in his surroundings.

He turned to see Tree Rex looking at him. He had a stern and grim look on his face. "One—you never put your hands on any woman. Two—Ninjini left and went to Darkhill Grove where all the Skylanders are, and she found a battle in full swing. They need our help, so let's get going."

Swarm ground his teeth as he looked at the Skylander he once considered his leader. Tree Rex obeyed Spyro now, but Tree Rex was still a good leader figure. "Yes. Let's go."

It wouldn't be until ages later that he felt guilty for laying hands on Ninjini. They were at each other's throats for days, slinging insults and each fighting to keep their physical anger from escalating. It took everything they had to stop from trying to just kill each other, and Tree Rex occasionally stepping between them. He never thought he'd become a victim of anger, drinking in the hatred that he felt and unleashing it in violent outbursts… But he was. And he hated it.

* * *

**I know it's not that long, but this was for Air Elemental1023. This IS related to Dragon King, and fits right during the part of chapter 32 where the Giants go to aid the Skylanders while Techna has fired smoke grenades. I dunno, I wanted to add in more Giant drama. Plus I've been listening to Love the Way You Lie a lot lately, along with the Monster by Eminem and Rihanna. xD**


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